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372 connected with an attempt to develop the resources of Bowrington, having caused an enormous further increase in the value of land. Following the example of Sir J. Bowring, Sir H. Robinson deposited year by year all surplus funds in the local Chartered Banks at five per cent, and £61,550 were thus deposited in 1861. Since 1st July, 1862, the accounts of the Colony were kept in dollars. The increase ($20,502) in the revenue of the year 1862 was ascribed chiefly to the increased yield of postage, police and lighting rates, opium farm and pawnbrokers' licences, whilst the increase ($61,400) of expenditure was caused by public works and additions to the strength of the Police Force. The same items caused the expenditure of the year 1863 to exceed (by $10,000) the revenue which had decreased by $54,884 as compared with the preceding year. In the year 1864, postage and profits made on subsidiary coins (procured from England) caused the revenue to increase by $61,471, whilst, on the other hand, the expenditure of the same year increased by $176,742, owing to the erection of the Mint and the investment of $250,000 in the purchase of land and houses at Kowloon. But, owing to a commercial depression which now set in, the difference between receipts and expenditure continued. On 4th March, 1865, Sir H. Robinson stated in Legislative Council that the total revenue for the preceding year had come to $637,845 and the actual expenditure to $763,307, an ominous indication of bad times in store for the Colonial finances.

As soon as the flourishing condition of the Colonial finances became known at home, a claim was set up for a military contribution. There was strictly speaking no surplus, as all available surplus funds were urgently required to provide additional gaol accommodation, additional water-works and most particularly a comprehensive drainage scheme for the town, which one Colonial Surgeon after the other urged as the indispensable preliminary basis of sanitary reform, and which, owing to the demand for a military contribution. Governor after Governor postponed for want of funds. On 15th August, 1864, Sir H. Robinson stated in Legislative Council that the Secretary of State insisted upon payment of a military contribution of £20,000 per annum for